Living a life of gratitude & simplicity. Seeking beauty in the world around me. Discovering gifts of God's handiwork by opening my eyes to really see, my heart to really feel & my mind to really drink in the beauty of creation. Learning to breathe deeply & just "Be" in the presence of God, in my attempts to capture grace, frame by frame...

I have indeed made it the full 21 days...writing every single day, not just online, but in my personal journals, and writing assignments from several workbooks on the subject!!! I have also made it through 21 entire days without even the feel of gum in my mouth...I really didn't think I could do that one, and sure surprised myself that I actually did make it the full 21 days (it's 11:31 right now and I've only 29 more minutes to go) but I KNOW I'll do it and that is extremely exciting for me. I was pretty sure I could do the writing, but the gum thing that I've been addicted to all my life...2 and sometimes 3 packs a day (gosh it sound like a cigarette addiction - lol) when I was really worried about something it may have been even more than 3...I was more than a little skeptical that I'd make it the entire way, especially after finding it around the house! But the important thing is that I set 2 goals and accomplished them.

Now, I will set a limit to a pack a week...I'll save a lot of money too...kind of reminds me when I was working...before disability laid me up for three years.

I worked so much overtime, and became SO addicted to coffee at Starbucks, that I'd go in as soon as they opened...found one that opened at 4:00 a.m. and would get a Venti with 5 shots added in the a.m. (so that was either 7 or 8 shots total since I can't remember if a Venti has 2 or 3 shots to start with.) Then, because I worked such long days, I'd be required to take two lunches. So, on my second lunch, I'd go to the Starbucks by my job and get another Venti nonfat, sugar-free vanilla latte with 5 more shots for the afternoon. This happened six days a week!

After several years of doing this, I became curious about just how much I was spending at Starbucks...so, I tallied up the charges on my bank statement, and my bill alone was over $400.00 a month! That's not counting when we'd go out together as a family of four for a Starbucks treat in the evenings or early Saturday mornings or my husband's purchases from the Starbucks in Lincoln when he was working! What a rude awakening to such a colossal waste of money....so, I bought my own French press, the Verona beans, a grinder and made my own STRONG coffee at home, even purchased a French-press cup to take to work, so I could make my own there too...and thus ended my addiction to Starbucks. I'll have one maybe 2 or 3 times a year, but each time I go to pay, I cringe at the price! lol ~ Me who used to be a confirmed shopaholic (only name brand everything for my family and me) has turned over a new leaf and indeed become a miser...never thought I'd see the day...but I've seen the light of frivolous spending and have radically changed my ways FOREVER! (I even sold most of my name brand stuff that was either like new or still had the tags attached on Ebay!) And did I mention I've always been a book addict. Loved the smell and feel of a brand new book...searched online for rare editions of my favorite classics...didn't sell those on Ebay, but a lot of the others got packed up and shipped out to my Ebay customers too, yet I refuse to scrimp on journals...love the embossed leather bound ones or those one of a kind truly unique journals...I like the creamy thick paper...no lines...I hate journals with lines, too constricting...love to write diagonal sometimes any which way and sometimes sketch a little picture. Oh, I've got some older ones or gift ones that have lines that have been well used, but no lines is my preference....complete freedom on the page! Wow...I do get off track so easily.

But here is my completion chant of victory for 21 days toward better habits.

"YAY...I REALLY, TRULY MADE IT!!! I CONQUERED TWO GOALS!!!

CAN YOU TELL I'M JUST GIDDY ON THE INSIDE ~ GRINNING LIKE A FOOL ON THE OUTSIDE AND IF I WASN'T AFRAID THE NEIGHBORS WOULD CALL THE POLICE, I'D GO OUTSIDE AND LITERALLY SHOUT IT TO THE WORLD THAT I MADE UP MY MIND, I SET 2 GOALS, I DEFEATED AN ADDICTION TO GUM...I'VE CARRIED TO FULFILLMENT THE GOAL TO WRITE EVERY DAY...I'VE SUBDUED AND CONQUERED! VICTORY IS SWEET!!!" (The all caps is in place of shouting out to my neighborhood!)

I had another last gum story, but I must post this piece so it shows up before May 11th is gone in 4 more minutes so it will show as posted today.
"OKAY, BUT FOR NOW, JUST...YAY, YAY, DOUBLE & TRIPLE DECKER YAY FOR ME!!! CLAP!!! CLAP!!! CLAP!!! AWE...C'MON....I'LL JUST GIVE MYSELF A STANDING OVATION!
I remember how you always used to tell Charlotte to be a G.I Joe...be tough and not cry when she'd fall off her bike and things like that...so I thought the
photo of me in army fatigues only too perfect for my war against the bad habits gum addiction and procrastination!
So today I am a G.I. Jane for you, William :)

Thanks Tammy...The G.I.Jane was just in fun (totally) for what William used to always tell Charlotte when they were little about being a G.I.Joe when she got hurt! I'm the farthest thing from a G.I Jane/Joe or anything else military related! lolI need to give myself a new challenge now that that one is over....Something I'll have to think about!Thanks for taking the time to read and leave a comment! I truly appreciate it :)